For decades, construction workers, electricians, and engineers have unknowingly put their lives on the line by handling one of the most hazardous materials ever used in building projects—asbestos.

Many believed it was just another material to work with, unaware of the deadly consequences lurking in its fibers.

Even today, despite awareness efforts and regulations, asbestos remains a significant threat, with many workers failing to grasp its true danger.

Firsthand Accounts of Asbestos Exposure

David Smith, a 70-year-old retired electrician, still can’t shake the memories of what he saw on job sites.

“I remember guys mixing asbestos with their bare hands like it was plaster,” he recalls.

“Most of them are probably gone now.”

Similarly, 77-year-old former heating engineer Terry Cowell winces at the thought of his past work.

“I used to rip asbestos lagging off boilers without any protective gear,” he says.

“No mask, no gloves—just straight into my lungs.”

Then there’s Liam Bradley, a 38-year-old roofing inspector who regularly warns younger workers about the dangers of asbestos.

“They laugh at me until I tell them that I breathed it in too—and that one day, it’s going to kill me.”

David, Terry, and Liam share something in common: they have all been diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.

The disease, which attacks the lining of the lungs, heart, intestines, and abdomen, takes decades to appear but often claims lives within a year of diagnosis.

A Frightening Lack of Awareness

A recent survey conducted by High Speed Training and TLF Research paints a grim picture.

Even though asbestos was officially banned 25 years ago, ignorance about its dangers is still widespread.

The survey, which included 500 construction workers, found that:

35% of workers didn’t think asbestos was dangerous.
Over a third believed asbestos was no longer a problem, even though it’s still present in millions of buildings.
Nearly half of the surveyed workers felt their asbestos training was inadequate.
26% admitted they ignored safety precautions when encountering asbestos, with many saying they were pressured by their bosses to handle it unsafely.

Still a Problem in Public Buildings

Despite the ban, asbestos remains widespread. More than 1.5 million buildings across the UK still contain the hazardous material.

Shockingly, 83% of schools and 90% of hospitals still have asbestos within their walls.

The dangers persist, especially for tradespeople working on renovations and upgrades, unknowingly exposing themselves to deadly fibers.

David, who worked in London in the 1970s, recalls the reality of working in asbestos-filled environments.

“We would refurbish schools, hotels, shopping centers—all filled with asbestos.

We had no training, no protective gear—just exposure every single day.”

Even after decades in the trade, David says attitudes haven’t changed much.

“Even in 2017, the mentality was still ‘just get the job done.’ The commercial pressures are enormous.”

A Campaign for Safer Worksites

The Daily Mail has launched an initiative, ‘Asbestos: Britain’s Hidden Killer,’ urging the government to take action. Key proposals include:

A phased removal of asbestos from public buildings, starting with schools and hospitals.
The creation of a national digital asbestos register that workers can access via smartphone to check asbestos locations before starting a job.

Many support the campaign, including Ian Dowd, whose father, Patrick, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2022 and passed away last summer. “My dad worked in health and safety in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s before people really understood asbestos.

Ironically, he spent time in boiler rooms and ceiling shafts—places filled with asbestos.”

High Speed Training, alarmed by the survey results, has now introduced new asbestos safety courses.

“Many workers think asbestos is an ‘old man’s disease,’” says Dowd.

“But it’s still affecting people today.”

A Tragic Reality for Many

Liam Bradley knows this all too well.

Diagnosed at just 30 years old, he still struggles with the reality of his condition.

“I fell from a third-story roof in 2015 and broke multiple bones.

During surgery, they found white flecks in my lung—it was early-stage mesothelioma.”

Liam traces his exposure back to 2006 when he unknowingly worked near asbestos on a job site.

“We didn’t have dust masks, nothing.

The site manager casually told us to wash our hands. That was it.”

Despite treatment slowing the cancer’s progress, Liam lives with uncertainty.

“I try to warn workers, but they brush it off.

Then I tell them I may not live to see my kids grow up, and suddenly, they take it seriously.”

The Fear of Speaking Out

Beyond a lack of awareness, a culture of fear prevents many workers from reporting asbestos hazards.

Vince McCoy from the Unite union explains: “If someone gets fired for raising asbestos concerns, others will stay silent.”

One worker, “John,” was dismissed after questioning asbestos warnings at a major London renovation site.

“He was told there was no asbestos and to carry on.

When he pushed back, he was fired and escorted out,” McCoy says.

This fear silences workers, leaving many exposed to unnecessary risks.

The Fight for Better Protection

Terry Cowell, diagnosed in 2019, believes more needs to be done.

“In the 1970s, I worked under floorboards, tearing out asbestos with my bare hands.

It’s shocking that young workers still don’t get the proper training.”

His wife, Karen, echoes the frustration. “If there was a gas leak on a site, workers would run.

Asbestos should be treated the same way, but it’s ignored.”

The Need for Stricter Regulations

The Construction Industry Training Board has invested over £3 million in asbestos training for 53,000 trainees, but Graham Watts of the Construction Industry Council believes more needs to be done.

“Only responsible companies take training seriously. Irresponsible ones cut corners to save money.”

The lack of licensing for contractors allows unsafe practices to continue.

Without stricter oversight, workers will keep paying the ultimate price.

A Deadly Shrug of the Shoulders

Poor safety practices persist, and many workers remain indifferent—until it’s too late.

As Liam has found, warnings are often met with laughter, a dismissive wave, and an intake of potentially deadly breath.

Change is needed, and it needs to happen now.

Because for too many, the real impact of asbestos exposure only becomes clear when they hear those devastating words: “You have mesothelioma.”

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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